Dear Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un, Madam Ri Sol-ju, and esteemed guests. We promised each other in the spring, which we greeted together after overcoming a long winter, to meet again when fall comes. I sincerely thank Chairman Kim Jong-un for keeping that promise and inviting me to Pyongyang with a warm welcome. I also wish to thank our compatriots in the North, who greeted me with an enthusiastic welcome along every street that I passed. I would like to convey to you all the best regards of the people in the South.

Upon arriving today, I am truly astonished by Pyongyang’s development. The high-rises that line the Taedong River and the vibrant atmosphere among the people of Pyongyang are particularly impressive. I came to understand Chairman Kim’s leadership and his accomplishments in seeking to improve the people’s lives through scientific and economic development. If the people in the South and North can come and go freely, cooperating with each other to seek progress and development, we can surprise the whole world. We opened a new era in the inter-Korean relationship last time at Panmunjom. It has only been five months since then, but we have already seen things we could only dream of. At the Asian Games in Indonesia, the unified women’s canoe team won their first gold medal. The unified women’s basketball team won a silver medal, but they showed that they could surpass the Great Wall.

These achievements have given to the Korean people the joy and the hope that we can become the best in the world when the sweat and tears shed at the Taedong River and Han River become one.

The world’s first movable metal type is not only the pride of the Korean people, but also a precious heritage for the entire world. Both the South and the North each had one original metal type, but a third type was discovered at Manwoldaein Kaesong three years ago through a joint excavation between South and North. The newly discovered type reads jeon, meaning “endearing,” in the North and dan, meaning “beautiful,” in the South. This discovery felt like a blessing for all that we have achieved together. I am glad to say that the joint excavation at Manwoldaewill resume next week. This is a deeply meaningful development. The South and the North shall come together as one to revive our nation’s history.

This is only the beginning. Together, we can create a future that no one could imagine. Our collaboration will reach across the continent to Russia and Europe, and across the sea to ASEAN and India. For this, Chairman Kim Jong-un and I shall put our heads and hearts together. We will engage in earnest discussions to seek meaningful progress in all fields—including the military, economy, society, and culture—and to completely resolve military tension and fears of war between the South and the North.

The complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and the establishment of peace also are important issues. We shall take a momentous step to begin an era of permanent peace and cooperation. Since this is a path that has never been taken before, we may encounter various challenges and impasses. However, there is trust and friendship between Chairman Kim Jong-un and me. If we put ourselves in each other’s shoes and understand and respect each other, there will be no difficulties that we cannot overcome.

Dear esteemed guests, I am the third President of the Republic of Korea to visit Mokrangwan, following Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyeon. This is already my third meeting with Chairman Kim Jong-un, following the summits in April and May. Chairman Kim and I have crossed the Military Demarcation Line from one side to the other and back hand in hand, like two affectionate lovers. The image of our “footbridge dialogue” created a great sensation across the world. The fact that the leaders of the South and the North can casually meet anywhere at any time symbolically shows that a new era has dawned between the South and the North.

Chuseok, the favorite holiday for all Koreans, is fast approaching. Like the proverb “wish not for less or more, just always be like Chuseok,” I sincerely hope that this meeting will bring peace and prosperity to the lives of all Koreans. I hope that this meeting will be the best Chuseokgift to the people of the North and the South.

As the President of the South, I cannot express with words how overwhelmed I am to greet you by the introduction of the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un. Everyone, in this way we are building a new era together.

Chairman Kim Jong-un and I met at Panmunjom on April 27 and shared a warm embrace. As two leaders, we solemnly proclaimed to eighty million Koreans and to the world that there will no longer be a war on the Korean peninsula, that a new era of peace has begun.

We also affirmed the principle of national independence. We, the Korean people, shall decide our own fate.

또한우리민족의운명은우리스스로결정한다는민족자주의원칙을확인했습니다.

We made a solemn promise to achieve comprehensive and groundbreaking progress in inter-Korean relations, to fuse together the severed heart of the Korean people, to advance towards a future of common prosperity and unification through self-determination. We also agreed that President Moon Jae-in would visit Pyongyang in the fall.

Today, Chairman Kim Jong-un and I have reached concrete agreements on measures to completely eliminate the danger of war and the risk of armed clashes on the Korean peninsula.

오늘김정은위원장과나는한반도에서전쟁의공포와무력충돌의위험을완전히제거하기위한조치들을구체적으로합의했습니다.

We have also committed to make our beautiful mountains and rivers from Mount Baekdu to Mount Halla a foundation of peace, permanently free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, and pass it down to future generations.

또한백두에서한라까지아름다운우리강산을영구히핵무기와핵위협이없는평화의터전으로만들어후손들에게물려주자고확약했습니다.

We have also agreed to take immediate and fundamental steps to alleviate the suffering of separated families before it is too late.

그리고더늦기전에이산가족의고통을근원적으로해소하기위한조치들을신속히취하기로했습니다.

I send wholehearted praise and applause to your leader Chairman Kim Jong-un, who has boldly embarked upon this daring journey and is walking resolutely with me towards a new future for the Korean people.

나는나와함께이담대한여정을결단하고민족의새로운미래를향해뚜벅뚜벅걷고있는여러분의지도자김정은국무위원장께아낌없는찬사와박수를보냅니다.

Dear citizens of Pyongyang and fellow countrymen,

평양시민여러분, 동포여러분,

During this visit, I have witnessed the astonishing development that is taking place in Pyongyang. I have seen, with great passion in my heart, what kind of country Chairman Kim Jong-un and the people of the North seek to build. I saw a great yearning for reconciliation and peace among the Korean people. I have seen indomitable courage, the courage of a people to protect its pride and stand on its own feet in trying times.

Our people are brilliant. Our people are tenacious. Our people love peace. And our people should live together.

우리민족은우수합니다. 우리민족은강인합니다. 우리민족은평화를사랑합니다. 그리고우리민족은함께살아야합니다.

We have lived together for five thousand years and apart for seventy years. Here today, I propose that we put these seventy years of hostility behind us and take a momentous step towards peace, to become one again.

The Chinese envy this place. They cannot go down to the Cheonjilake from their side, but we can.

중국사람들이부러워합니다. 중국쪽에서는천지를못내려갑니다. 우리는내려갈수있습니다.

▲President Moon Jae-in

Where is the border?

국경이어디입니까?

▲Chairman Kim

(Pointing finger from left to right) Mount Baekdu has four distinct seasons.

(왼쪽부터오른쪽까지손가락으로가리키며) 백두산에는사계절이다있습니다.

▲First Lady Ri Sol-ju

July and August are the best. The manbyeongchoflowers are in full bloom then.

7∼8월이제일좋습니다. 만병초가만발합니다.

▲President Moon

I have the manbyeongchoflower in my home’s yard too.

그만병초가우리집마당에도있습니다.

▲First Lady Ri

I see.

네.

▲Chairman Kim

The sunrise is more spectacular than the flowers.

꽃보다는해돋이가장관입니다.

▲President Moon

There is the Baekrokdamlake in Mount Halla as well, but the water does not stem from the bottom like Cheonji. It is filled with rainwater, so it is dry when there is a drought.

한라산에도백록담이있는데천지처럼물이밑에서솟지않고그냥내린비, 이렇게만돼있어서좀가물때는마릅니다.

▲Chairman Kim

(To minder next to him) How deep is the water in Cheonji?

(옆에있는보장성원에게) 천지수심깊이가얼마나되나?

▲First Lady Ri

It is 325m. There are many legends about Mount Baekdu. Some say that a dragon lived here before ascending to the sky, and some say that ninety-nine fairies from the sky came down to take a bath because the water is so clear. Now we have another legend, since you have come here together today.

We should soak the images of our new history in Mount Baekdu’s Cheonji—immerse everything in this water of Cheonjiso that the water will never dry up—as we write a new history between the North and the South.

백두산천지에새역사의모습을담가서, 백두산천지의물이마르지않도록이천지물에다담가서앞으로북남간의새로운역사를또써나가야겠습니다.

▲President Moon

I have made some new history with this visit, delivering a speech to the citizens of Pyongyang.

이번에제가오면서새로운역사를좀썼지요. 평양시민들앞에서연설도다하고.

▲First Lady Ri

I was deeply moved by the speech.

연설정말감명깊게들었습니다.

▲President Moon

I told the Chairman at the April 27 summit that many South Koreans visited Mount Baekdu through the Chinese side. For a while, it was very popular to do so. While many people are still making visits, at that time I pledged to myself that “I will not go through the Chinese side. I shall climb up on our own soil no matter what.” I thought that day would come very soon, but it faded away. I thought that day may never come, but now my wish has come true.

Only a few came here today, but South Koreans and fellow countrymen abroad should come and see Mount Baekdu from now on. For people in the South, it has become a mountain of longing—out of reach—since the division of Korea.

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